Curran and Murphy get Meath call-ups

MEATH introduce two newcomers, goalkeeper Brendan Murphy and right half-forward Peter Curran, for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland Leinster SFC first round clash with neighbours Louth at Croke Park.

And the Royals also give starting places to left corner-back Niall McKeigue and left half-back Mark Ward, who were introduced as substitutes during last season’s futile campaign.

Graham Geraghty is also back. After participating in the O’Byrne Cup early in the season, Geraghty missed most of Meath’s league games but played in the last game of the pennant competition. He has been named at full-forward. Meath will be captained by midfielder Nigel Crawford.

Westmeath have handed four players their Championship debuts for Sunday’s Leinster SFC clash with Offaly at Croke Park. St Loman’s Gary Glennon retains his place at left half-back after impressing there in the Division Two League semi-final, while there are three new faces in attack.

Castledaly’s Gordon Duffy comes in at right half-forward with The Downs’ John Smyth on the other wing.

Former minor star, PJ Ward (Kilbeggan) is selected at right full-forward. In the absence of injured Dessie Dolan, Damien Healy captains the side.

Monaghan manager Seamus McEneaney has opted for experience in his team for Sunday’s game against Armagh in Clones, with no championship debutantes in his line-up.

The trio who recently returned to the Monaghan panel — Gary McQuaid, back after injury, Raymond Ronaghan, recalled after a lengthy absence, and James McElroy, also recalled — are all included in the starting 15 while captain Damien Freeman reverts to a half-back role. Defender Donal Morgan, who was a regular during the league, loses out.

Former Sligo and Fermanagh boss Dominic Corrigan is back in management with top Tyrone side Carrickmore, the club he led to a county championship title two years ago.

He left Carrickmore at the end of the 2004 season to take up the Sligo post.

But the Fermanagh man was sensationally axed by Sligo this year following a poor run of league results. He replaces Derry man Chris Brown, who left Carrickmore last month after just two league games in charge. Brown, who led Derry minors to an All-Ireland title four years ago, had guided the Tyrone champions to an Ulster Senior League title earlier this year.

Corrigan’s previous stint with the Tyrone club lasted just one season, but it was a hugely successful one, during which a 12th senior championship title was won. But for all their success within the Red Hand county, Carrickmore have never conquered Ulster, and Corrigan is seen as the man who can help them make the long-awaited breakthrough on the provincial stage.

MEATH (SFC v Louth): B. Murphy; N. McLoughlin, K. O’Reilly, N. McKeigue; S. MacGabhain,C. King, S. Kenny; N. Crawford, M. Ward; P. Curran, J. Sheridan, P. Byrne; D. Regan, G. Geraghty, B. Farrell.

WESTMEATH (SFC v Offaly): G. Connaughton; J. Davitt, M. Ennis (Ballinagore), J. Keane; D. Healy, D. O’Donoghue, G. Glennon; D. Duffy, D. O’Shaughnessy; G. Duffy, G. Dolan, J. Smyth; PJ Ward, D. Glennon, A. Mangan (St. Malachy’s)

MONAGHAN (SFC v Armagh): S Duffy, G McQuaid, J Coyle, C Flanagan, D Freeman, V Corey, D McArdle, E Lennon, P Finlay, D Clerkin, S Gollogly, J McElroy, T Freeman, R Ronaghan, R Woods.

NEW YORK (SFC v Roscommon): C Greene; N Corbett, J Mitchell, D Rooney; C McKeever, A Rooney, P Murphy (captain); K O’Connor, G Dowd; A McCarron, S Munnelly, D Dorgan; M Dobbin, R Moran, V Gavin.

KILDARE (MFC v Meath): S Connolly; D Reddy, M Bradley, R Confrey; J Browne, K O’Brien, M Donnelly; S Murphy, D Whyte; N Hurley-Lynch, J Dooley, C Canning; B Mullally, J Kavanagh, N Jordan.